The #8 Southwestern Pirate volleyball team proved their top ten national ranking with a dominating win over the University of Dallas. The Pirates won the match in straight games, 25-8, 25-12 and 25-18.

Senior Audra Gentry (pictured right) led the way for the Pirates with 11 kills and was followed closely by sophomore Lindsay Thompson with 8, sophomore Taylor Wright with 7 and first-year Rachel Thibodeau with 6. Thibodeau led the Pirates in hitting percentage, successfully killing 6 of the 11 balls she was set for a .545 percentage.

Southwestern had five service aces in the match with two coming from sophomore Christina Nicholls who also led in assists with 29 and was second on the team in digs with 12. Senior Samantha Lingamfelter recorded 21 digs on the evening while Wright led the team in blocks with two solo and two assisted.

The win moves the Pirates to 1-0 for the season as they head to their first major test at the ONU Invitational in Ada, Ohio where they will face four perennial powerhouses in Calvin College, Heidelberg University, Thomas More and tournament host Ohio Northern University. Southwestern will first face Thomas More at 3pm and then Heidelberg at 5pm on Friday. Live stats will be available through the tournament website at http://www-new.onu.edu/athletics/womens_teams/volleyball/2009_onu_invitational or by clicking http://www.onu.edu/livestats/vb/xlive.htm.